Tissue repair system

Abstract

A bone anchor includes an anchor body configured to be retained within bone and to receive a flexible member such that the flexible member can be pulled in a first direction while, without the aid of an enlarged portion on the flexible member, subsequent movement in a second, opposite direction can be limited. The anchor body includes a restrictor configured to engage the flexible member to selectively restrict passage of the flexible member through an opening. A tissue repair system includes first and second bone anchors coupled by a flexible member. An anchor with attached flexible member is placed in bone, and the flexible member is moved through an opening in the anchor in a first direction. The anchor is configured to limit subsequent movement of the flexible member in at least a second opposite direction.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A bone anchor, comprising:
 an anchor body configured to be retained within bone, the anchor body including a generally stationary restrictor configured to selectively restrict movement of a flexible member coupled thereto such that after implantation, the flexible member can be moved through the restrictor in a first direction while, without the aid of an enlarged portion on the flexible member, movement in a second, opposite direction can be restricted.  
 
     
     
       2. The bone anchor of  claim 1  wherein the restrictor is configured to engage the flexible member to selectively restrict movement of the flexible member. 
     
     
       3. The bone anchor of  claim 2  wherein the restrictor is configured to engage the flexible member at a substantially arbitrary position along a length of the flexible member. 
     
     
       4. The bone anchor of  claim 1  wherein the anchor body defines an opening through which the flexible member can be moved. 
     
     
       5. The bone anchor of  claim 4  wherein the restrictor is configured to engage the flexible member to selectively restrict passage of the flexible member through the opening. 
     
     
       6. The bone anchor of  claim 4  wherein the restrictor defines at least a part of the opening. 
     
     
       7. The bone anchor of  claim 6  wherein the restrictor defines a narrower portion of the opening than another portion of the opening. 
     
     
       8. The bone anchor of  claim 4  wherein the restrictor includes a sloped surface configured to compress the flexible member to permit passage of the flexible member through the opening. 
     
     
       9. The bone anchor of  claim 4  wherein the restrictor includes opposing edges for engaging the flexible member to restrict passage of the flexible member through the opening. 
     
     
       10. The bone anchor of  claim 4  further comprises a second restrictor configured to engage the flexible member to selectively restrict passage of the flexible member through the opening. 
     
     
       11. The bone anchor of  claim 10  wherein the restrictors are oppositely directed. 
     
     
       12. The bone anchor of  claim 10  wherein the restrictors are oriented such that passage of the flexible member through both restrictors is permitted when one end region of the flexible member is pulled, and passage of the flexible member through both restrictors is restricted when an opposite end region of the flexible member is pulled. 
     
     
       13. The bone anchor of  claim 1  wherein the anchor body includes a pair of legs. 
     
     
       14. The bone anchor of  claim 1  wherein the anchor body includes a bone-engaging ridge for retaining the bone anchor in a bone hole. 
     
     
       15. The bone anchor of  claim 1  wherein said anchor body comprises a unitary body. 
     
     
       16. The bone anchor of  claim 1  wherein said anchor body includes a post about which the flexible member is positionable. 
     
     
       17. The bone anchor of  claim 1  wherein the restrictor is configured such that the flexible member can be moved through the restrictor in the first direction when one end region of the flexible member is pulled and movement of the flexible member through the restrictor in the second direction can be restricted when an opposite end region of the flexible member is pulled. 
     
     
       18. The bone anchor of  claim 17  wherein the restrictor is configured to engage the flexible member to selectively restrict the movement of the flexible member. 
     
     
       19. The bone anchor of  claim 17  wherein the restrictor comprises a sloped surface configured to permit the movement of the flexible member in the first direction. 
     
     
       20. The bone anchor of  claim 17  wherein the restrictor comprises opposing edges configured to restrict the movement of the flexible member in the second direction. 
     
     
       21. The bone anchor of  claim 1  wherein the restrictor is oriented to selectively restrict longitudinal movement of the flexible member. 
     
     
       22. The bone anchor of  claim 1  wherein the anchor body defines a path for passage of the flexible member through the anchor body along a longitudinal direction of the flexible member and the restrictor is positioned along the path. 
     
     
       23. The bone anchor of  claim 1  wherein the anchor body comprises a continuous wall portion defining a through hole for receiving the flexible member therethrough. 
     
     
       24. A tissue repair system, comprising:
 a first anchor body including a member that engages bone to retain the anchor within the bone, the first anchor body defining an opening for receiving suture and a restrictor forming a one-way passage through the opening,  
 a second anchor body including a member that engages bone to retain the anchor within the bone, the second anchor body defining an opening for receiving suture and a restrictor forming a one-way passage through the second anchor body opening, and  
 suture coupling the first and second anchor bodies, the suture extending through the one-way passages.  
 
     
     
       25. The repair system of  claim 24  wherein the suture can be moved through the first and second anchor bodies to shorten a length of the suture between the first and second anchor bodies, while, without the aid of an enlarged portion on the suture, lengthening of the suture between the first and second anchor bodies is restricted. 
     
     
       26. A bone anchor, comprising:
 an anchor body configured to be retained within bone, the anchor body including a generally stationary restrictor configured to receive a flexible member such that after implantation of the anchor body within bone, the flexible member can be moved through the restrictor while, without the aid of an enlarged portion on the flexible member, subsequent movement of the flexible member can be restricted.  
 
     
     
       27. The bone anchor of  claim 26  wherein the restrictor includes a sloped surface configured to compress the flexible member to permit passage of the flexible member through the first restrictor. 
     
     
       28. The bone anchor of  claim 26  wherein the restrictor includes opposing edges for engaging the flexible member to restrict passage of the flexible member through the restrictor. 
     
     
       29. The bone anchor of  claim 26  wherein the restrictor is configured such that the flexible member can be moved when one end region of the flexible member is pulled, while the subsequent movement of the flexible member can be restricted when an opposite end region of the flexible member is pulled. 
     
     
       30. The bone anchor of  claim 29  wherein the restrictor is configured to engage the flexible member to selectively restrict the movement of the flexible member. 
     
     
       31. The bone anchor of  claim 29  wherein the restrictor comprises a sloped surface configured to permit the movement of the flexible member. 
     
     
       32. The bone anchor of  claim 29  wherein the restrictor comprises opposing edges configured to restrict the movement of the flexible member. 
     
     
       33. The bone anchor of  claim 26  wherein the restrictor is oriented to selectively restrict longitudinal movement of the flexible member. 
     
     
       34. The bone anchor of  claim 26  wherein the anchor body defines a path for passage of the flexible member through the anchor body along a longitudinal direction of the flexible member and the restrictor is positioned along the path. 
     
     
       35. The bone anchor of  claim 26  wherein the anchor body comprises a continuous wall portion defining a through hole for receiving the flexible member therethrough. 
     
     
       36. A tissue repair system, comprising:
 a flexible member, and  
 first and second bone anchors coupled together by the flexible member, each bone anchor including an anchor body configured to be retained within bone, at least one of the bone anchors configured to receive the flexible member such that the flexible member can be pulled to shorten a length of the flexible member between the bone anchors, while, without the aid of an enlarged portion on the flexible member, subsequent lengthening of the flexible member between the bone anchors can be restricted.  
 
     
     
       37. A bone anchor comprising:
 an anchor body configured to be retained within bone, the anchor body including a generally stationary restrictor defining a one-way passage configured to pass a suture in a first direction and restrict passage of the suture in a second, opposite direction.  
 
     
     
       38. The bone anchor of  claim 37  wherein the restrictor includes a sloped surface configured to compress the suture to permit passage of the suture through the one-way passage. 
     
     
       39. The bone anchor of  claim 37  wherein the restrictor includes opposing edges for engaging the suture to restrict passage of the suture through the one-way passage. 
     
     
       40. The bone anchor of  claim 37  wherein the anchor body includes:
 legs extending distally from the one-way passage and having inner walls that define an opening,  
 a wall extending along a side of the anchor body that is distal the legs, and  
 a post about which the suture is positionable, the post extending from the wall.  
 
     
     
       41. The bone anchor of  claim 37  wherein the one-way passage is further configured to pass the suture in the first direction when one end region of the suture is pulled and to restrict passage of the suture in the second direction when an opposite end region of the suture is pulled. 
     
     
       42. The bone anchor of  claim 41  wherein the restrictor is further configured to engage the suture to selectively restrict the movement of the suture. 
     
     
       43. The bone anchor of  claim 41  wherein the restrictor comprises a sloped surface configured to permit the movement of the suture in the first direction. 
     
     
       44. The bone anchor of  claim 41  wherein the restrictor comprises opposing edges configured to restrict the movement of the suture in the second direction. 
     
     
       45. The bone anchor of  claim 37  wherein the restrictor is oriented to selectively restrict longitudinal movement of the suture. 
     
     
       46. The bone anchor of  claim 37  wherein the anchor body defines a path for passage of the suture through the anchor body along a longitudinal direction of the suture and the restrictor is positioned along the path. 
     
     
       47. The bone anchor of  claim 37  wherein the anchor body comprises a continuous wall portion defining a through hole for receiving the suture therethrough. 
     
     
       48. A bone anchor comprising:
 an anchor body configured to be retained within bone, the anchor body including a generally stationary restrictor defining an opening having a first portion for permitting passage of a member therethrough, and a second portion restricting passage of the member therethrough without the aid of an enlarged portion on the member.  
 
     
     
       49. The bone anchor of  claim 48  wherein the first portion is configured to permit the passage of the member through the opening when one end region of the member is pulled and the second portion is configured to restrict the passage of the member through the opening when an opposite end region of the member is pulled. 
     
     
       50. The bone anchor of  claim 49  wherein the first portion comprises a sloped surface configured to permit the passage of the member through the opening. 
     
     
       51. The bone anchor of  claim 49  wherein the second portion comprises opposing edges configured to restrict the passage of the member through the opening. 
     
     
       52. The bone anchor of  claim 48  wherein the restrictor is oriented to selectively restrict longitudinal movement of the member. 
     
     
       53. The bone anchor of  claim 48  wherein the anchor body defines a path for passage of the member through the anchor body along a longitudinal direction of the member and the restrictor is positioned along the path. 
     
     
       54. The bone anchor of  claim 48  wherein the anchor body comprises a continuous wall portion defining a through hole for receiving the member therethrough. 
     
     
       55. A method comprising:
 placing an anchor in bone, the anchor including a generally stationary restrictor,  
 moving a flexible member through the restrictor in a first direction, and  
 restricting movement of the flexible member through the restrictor in a second, opposite direction.  
 
     
     
       56. The method of  claim 55  further comprising placing a second anchor in bone, the second anchor being coupled to the first anchor by the flexible member, wherein the step of moving the flexible member in the first direction shortens a length of the flexible member between the anchors. 
     
     
       57. The method of  claim 55  wherein moving the flexible member is performed after placing the anchor in bone. 
     
     
       58. The method of  claim 55  wherein moving the flexible member through the restrictor comprises pulling one end region of the flexible member. 
     
     
       59. The method of  claim 58  wherein restricting movement of the flexible member comprises restricting movement when an opposite end region of the flexible member is pulled. 
     
     
       60. The method of  claim 58  wherein moving the flexible member through the restrictor comprises compressing the flexible member with a sloped surface of the restrictor. 
     
     
       61. The method of  claim 58  wherein restricting movement of the flexible member through the restrictor comprises engaging the flexible member with opposing edges of the restrictor. 
     
     
       62. The method of  claim 55  further comprising providing the anchor with the restrictor oriented to selectively restrict longitudinal movement of the flexible member. 
     
     
       63. The method of  claim 55  further comprising providing the anchor with the restrictor positioned along a path for passage of the flexible member through the anchor body along a longitudinal direction of the flexible member. 
     
     
       64. The method of  claim 55  further comprising receiving the flexible member through a through hole defined by a continuous wall portion in the anchor body. 
     
     
       65. A bone anchor, comprising:
 an anchor body configured to be retained within bone and to selectively restrict movement of a flexible member coupled thereto, the anchor body defining an opening bounded by a sloped wall, the sloped wall configured to compress the flexible member to permit passage of the flexible member through the opening in a first direction, the sloped wall including a portion configured to engage the flexible member to restrict passage of the flexible member through the opening in a second, opposite direction.  
 
     
     
       66. The bone anchor of  claim 65  wherein the sloped wall is configured to permit passage of the flexible member through the opening in the first direction when one end portion of the flexible member is pulled and the portion is configured to restrict passage of the flexible member through the opening in the second direction when an opposite end portion of the flexible member is pulled. 
     
     
       67. The bone anchor of  claim 66  wherein the anchor body further comprises a second sloped wall bounding the opening. 
     
     
       68. The bone anchor of  claim 67  wherein the sloped walls are configured to compress the flexible member therebetween to permit passage of the flexible member through the opening in the first direction. 
     
     
       69. The bone anchor of  claim 67  wherein the second sloped wall has a portion, the portions comprising opposing edges for engaging the flexible member to restrict passage of the flexible member through the opening in the second direction. 
     
     
       70. The bone anchor of  claim 65  wherein the portion is oriented to selectively restrict longitudinal movement of the member. 
     
     
       71. The bone anchor of  claim 65  wherein the anchor body defines a path for passage of the flexible member through the anchor body along a longitudinal direction of the flexible member and the portion is positioned along the path. 
     
     
       72. The bone anchor of  claim 65  wherein the anchor body comprises a continuous wall portion defining a through hole for receiving the flexible member therethrough.